Electric timing race apparatus



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LEGTRIC TIMING RACE APPARATUS.

(Application led Jan. 4, 1897.\y

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 6|3,7(15.A Patented Nov. 8, |398. J. I. MCDONALD.

ELECTRIC TIMING RACE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 4, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Seet 2.

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Patented Nov. 8, |898. J. I. McDDNALD. ELECTRIC TIMING RAGE APPARATUS.

Application filed Jan. 4, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. K

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l JOHN IRVING MCDONALD, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC TIMING RACE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,705, dated November 8, 1898.

Application tiled January 4,1897. Serial No. 617,920 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN IEVING MoDoN- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Race- Timing Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification- My invention relates to devices for timing horse-races, bicycle-races, and the like. It is desirable at such aairs to indicate to the crowd of onlookers the exact and official time in which each event is run. It has been my object to do this plainly and accurately and at the same time to take advantage of the fixed attention of the crowd by displaying advertisements in an attractive manner.

My invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I employ a large dial suitably mounted in full view of the spectators and bearing on its face advertising matter. The edge of the dial is gradu ated into any desired number of spaces, each representing an equal increment of time. I prefer to use one hundred and eighty (180) graduations, each representing one second, because races are usually run in three minutes or less. Back of the dial is a clockwork adapted to actuate a main hand or index arranged to move over the dial at a regular speed, traversing one of my graduated spaces in exactly one second. An auxiliary hand also travels with the main hand, but can be arrested temporarily to indicate the time occupied in going a quarter, a half, or three-quarters. The 'main hand can also be arrested at the finish. The arrest of each hand is effected by a brake or a detent set in operation by an electromagnet. rlhe circuits of these magnets maybe under the control of an official, or they maybe automatically controlled by the wheel of the sulky or bicycle or otherwise.

The clockwork may be of any suitable description, its function being to move the hands forward at an even regular speed. The dial is preferably some ten or twelve feet in diameter, and in order to properly propel hands of a corresponding length and weight I prefer .to use the specific mechanism hereinafter described. I do not confine myself to that, but may use any that proves to be efficient and accurate.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the dial and its supporting-post, the latter being partly broken away. Fig. 2 shows the main and secondary clocks. Fig. 3 shows the brake for the auxiliary hand or index. Fig. Liis a vertical section. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the secondary clock. Fig. 6 shows the device for stopping the main hand. Fig. 7 shows the two hands held in alinenient bya stop on the auxiliary hand. Fig. 8 shows the automatic circuit-breaker. Fig. 9 is a diagram of a race-track equipped with my invention. Fig. 10 is a diagram of the electrical circuits. Fig. 11 shows the double-pole switch in a different position.

On a suitable support, such as a hollow post A, I place a dial B, preferably ten, twelve, or more feet in diameter and graduated in any desired manner, preferably into one hundred and eight-y one-second spaces. Half and quarter seconds may also be shown. The face of the dial affords space for advertisements, and this is a valuable feature of my invention. A horizontal shaft Opasses centrally through the dial and carries a hand C@ The shaft is driven at a regular speed, so that the hand will indicate elapsed time on the dial. The mechanism I prefer' for actuating the shaft is as follows:

On the shaft is fixed a drum D, on which is wound a strap CZ, the free end of which is attached to a rod E, preferably by means of a cap CZ', slipping upon the end of the rod and held by a set-screw d2. A weight E is secured upon the rod, preferably by a collar e, fastened to the rod by a set-screw c'. The

weight may have a radial slot to permit it to be removed from the rod when it is desired to increase the tension on the strap by substitntin g a heavier wei ght or by adding others.

In order to secure a uniform rate of motion for the shaft, I employ a governing device IOO to regulate the descent of the weight. This is preferably housed in the hollow post A, where it is readily accessible through a door. The regulator consists of an upright cylinder F, filled with water or other liquid and containing a water-tight plunger or piston f, secured to the lower end of the rod E. Through one or more restricted ports f', drilled through the plunger, the liquid can pass from below to the space above as the plunger falls. The rate of descent is determined by the size of the ports and the weight of the rod, plunger, and weight E. A downwardly-opening checkvalve f2, controlling a large port in the plunger, permits it to be easily raised to the top` of the cylinder. The depth of the cylinder is at least as great as the circumference of the drum D, so that one descent of the plunger allows one complete revolution of the shaft C. This mechanism, however, cannot be depended upon to run with absolute steadiness. I therefore employ an escapement which may be controlled directly by ordinary clockwork, but which is preferablyconnected electrically with a standard clock.

On the shaft C is secured a toothed escapewheel G, with which cooperates an anchor G. For electric control I provide the anchor with an arm g, which constitutes the armature of two electromagnets H HQ one on each side. The magnets alternately attract the armature, and thus impart a rocking movement to the anchor. The construction is such that one tooth of the wheel G is released at every two beats of the anchor.

The speed of the plunger is so, regulated that the shaft C and the escapement-wheel G are driven slightly faster than the escapement will allow it to go. This brings a tooth against one pallet or the other of the anchor at every beat, and there the tooth is held, if too fast, until released by the anchor at just the right instant. The motion of tliewheel between beats is, however, very steady. In a theoretically perfect apparatus the wheel would make a complete revolution without the anchor retarding it at all or even touching a single tooth. Practically the anchor is found to be necessary and efficient.

lVhen a tooth is stopped by the anchor, the motion of the hand and Weight and plunger is checked, and when the tooth is released the reaction causes a slight jerk. To obviate this trouble, I use a small secondary cylinder I, filled with liquid and containing a plunger e', having a through-port and an upwardly-opening check-valve. This plunger is connected with a band CZS, which passes around the drum D, but in the opposite direction to the strap (Z. The plunger t' rises as the plunger fdcscends, and all unsteadiness is avoided.

The energizing of the electromagnets is effected by a battery K, with one pole of which the magnets are connected in multiple, as shown in Fig. 2. The other pole of the battery is connected with a make-and-break wheel L, having on its periphery a series of conducting and non-conducting sections Z Z' alternating with each other. Two brushes or contact-lingers M M' bear on this wheel, being adjustable, as by slots m and set-screws m', so that when one presses on a conductingsection Z the other rests upon a non-conducting section Z', and vice versa, as the wheel turns. The brushes are connected, respectively, with the electromagnets II Il', and the turning of the wheel L causes the magnets to be energized alternately.

The wheel L is rotated step by step in synchronism with the escapement-wheel of a standard clock beating seconds, preferably by being mounted on the shaft of the escapement-wheel a of such a clock N. The sections Z Z on the wheel L are of such length that at every beat the circuit is cut off from one brush and sent through the other. This results in a positive and even regulation of the `movement of the eseapement-wheel G, the shaft C, and the hand C; but by whatever means the hand is caused to travel around the dial and thereby indicate the elapsed time means must be provided to start it and stop it correctly. To effect this, the standard clock is provided with an electric starting device, preferably the one shown, in which the pendulum carries an armature O, having two parallel legs 0, which may play freely in the hollow cores of the electromagnet O'. lVhen the magnet is energized, the pendulum is held still at the end of its stroke, but on breaking the circuit of the magnet the pendulum is released and begins to beat.

The stopping of the timer is accomplished, preferably, as follows: I affix to the shaft C a wheel P, whose periphery is notched, as shown, each notch represen ting a quartersecond or fifths, if preferred. Adjacent to this wheel is arranged a dog or detent R, adjusted to engage with a notch and when so engaged to hold the wheel and shaft from moving. A spring r tends to throw this detent into engagement with the wheel to stop it; but an electromagnet R/ is arranged to keep the detent retracted so long as the magnet remains energized and attracts the armature to which the detent R is attached. It is evident now that the plunger f being at the top of the large cylinder, the hand C set to zero, the detent R raised by its magnet, and the pendulum held stationary, on breaking the circuit of the electromagnet O the pendulum will be released and will begin to beat and the electric escapement will allow the shaft C to turn and carry the hand C forward over the dial. This action will continue until the plunger strikes the bottom of the cylinder or the detent R is released by breaking the circuit of the electromagnet It. If this is effected at the instant the winner finishes, the hand will be arrested at the proper point on the dial to indicate the exact time in minutes, seconds, and fractions of seconds.

It is desirable to indicate not only the time IOO IIO

I in which the whole courseis covered, but also the main hand, but not rigidly attached thereto.. By means of suitable devices-such for instance, as are hereinafter described-this auxiliary hand can be temporarily arrested at the instant the horse passes a quarterpost, so as to indicate-to` the spectators the exact time in which the quarter was covered. I prefer the following construction for this part of my invention:

On the portion of th'e shaft C which projects in front of the frame of the clock are two metal disks S, united by a sleeve S and capable of turning freely on the shaft. A helical spring S2 surrounds the shaft inside the sleeve and is fastened at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the sleeve. The

auxiliary hand C2 is attached to the front disk S yjust behind the main hand C'. A finger or stop c on the auxiliary hand is held by the spring S2 against the main hand and keeps them in alinement. Attached to the rear disk is a wheel S3, and adjacent to the periphery of said wheel is a brake-shoe T, carried on a rod t, attached to the armature t' of an electromagnet T'. A spring T2 throws the shoe against the wheel when the armature of the magnet is released. A lever T3 engages with the rod t to raise the shoe when the wheel is to be released. The lever may be operated by a cord t2.

When the horse passes a quarter-post, the circuit of the magnet T' is broken and the brake-shoe instantly stops the auxiliary hand, the main hand going steadily on. The circuit may be broken either by hand or by automatic devices hereinafter described. In a few seconds, the time of the quarter having been noted, the brake-shoe is raised by closing the circuit again through the magnet. If the magnet fails to operate, the brake can be raised by pulling on the cord f2. The releasing of the brake-wheel permits the spring S2 to throw the auxiliary hand forward until it arrives at its normal position behind the main hand,where,it rides until again stopped. It is manifestthat this operation may be repeated any number of times during the operation of the machine.

' An4 official having before him a set of l switches controlling the circuits of the electromagnets O', R', and T can start the apparatus, stop the auxiliary hand at quarters, dac., and finally stop the main hand at the end of therace; but in order to render the y machine automatic, and thereby increase its novelty, I employ automatic circuit-breakers for the electromagnets O' R T'. These may be of any desired construction; but I prefer those hereinafter described, because any arrangement for this purpose that would be liable to injure a horse or wheelman or that would interfere with the continual use of fioats, harrows, and other tools for dressing the track would not be tolerated.

My circuit-breaker consists of a tube U, of glass or metal, held in an upright position by securing it to a stake or otherwise and located inside of the inner edge of the race-track, and a small rubber tube V, of any desired length, attached thereto and closed at its other extreme. The whole is filled with water, so that it stands well up in the tube, as shown. A plunger-rod W, having at its lower end a plunger w, of heavy metal, that nearly fills the tube in cross-section, and at its upper end a metal bridge w", preferably of copper, works freely up and down in the tube U, and the bridge when down rests on two metal plates Y and completes the circuit in line with the electromagnet. Wvhen pressure is applied to the rubber tube, as by a wheel passing over it, the plunger is instantly shot up, lifting the bridge and breaking the circuit, after which the weight of the plunger pulls the bridge down securely on the plates and restores the circuit. These circuit-breakers are placed, one at the start to release the pendulum, one at each quarter or division desired, all in one circuit with the magnet T', controlling the fly-back hand, and, finally, one at the finish in circuit with the magnet R for stopping the timer.

The rubber tubes can be thrown to one side, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, to permit the dressing of the track and then be quickly restored to their proper places at right angles to the track. Their presence cannot be felt when riding over them with a pneumatic tire, yet their action is instantaneous and positive.

Fig. 9 shows in diagram a race-course provided with my timing apparatus. The judges stand is at Z, with a circuit-breaker at the starting-line. Other circuit-breakers l 2 3 are placed at the quarters or other divisional points. One terminal of each is grounded and the other is connected by its own conductor l 2 3a with the timing apparatus. I prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. lO, where the conductors terminate .in contact-plates which by a switch 4 can be putin circuit with the electromagnet Tl and its battery 5. This enables the official to connect up any outlying circuit-breaker at will. The starting and finishin g circuit-breaker 6 has both its terminals connected to a double-pole switch 7, which enables it to be placed in circuit either with the starting-electromagnet O' in the standard clock N, as shown in Fig. lO, or with the electromagnet R', which stops the main hand, as shown in Fig. 1l. The horse having started and the clock having thereby been set in operation, the double-pole switch is then turned to the position shown in Fig. 11, so that the main hand of the timer will be stopped by the electromagnet R the instant the horse finishes the course. The same battery 8 may be used in each case. A push-button 9 in the circuits of the magnets O R' T' enables the ICO IIO

official to break their circuits by hand, if desired.

My electric register or timing apparatus can be considerably modified in detail without departing from the spirit of my invention. It is useful not only for timing trotting-horses and bicycles, but also for running-races and, in fact, contests of speed of all kinds.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A race-timing apparatus, consisting of a dial, a hand cooperating therewith, mechanism for actuating the hand,a hydraulic speedregulating device for said mechanism, an escapement controlling said speed-regulating device, a standard clock operating said escapement, and means for arresting the motion of the hand-actuating mechanism at will, substantially as described.

2. A race-timing apparatus, consisting of a dial, a hand cooperating therewith, 1n echanism for actuating the hand,a hydraulic speedregulating device for said mechanism, au electric escapement controlling said speedregulating device, a standard clock electrically connected with and operating said escapement, and means for stopping the handactuating mechanism at will, substantially as described.

3. A race-timing apparatus, consisting of a dial, a main hand and an auxiliary hand, both cooperating with the dial, mechanism for actuating said hands, electrical devices for temporarily arresting the auxiliary hand, and separate electrical devices for stopping the main hand, at will, substantially as described.

4. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial, of a shaft, a hand mounted thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a hydraulic speed-regulator operating to cause a steady rotation of said shaft, and an electric escapement for controlling the regulator, consisting of an escapement-wheel mounted on said shaft, an anchor for said wheel, and electromagnets for actuating the anchor, substantially as described.

5. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial, of a shaft, a hand mounted thereon, means for rotating the shaft, a hydraulic speed-regulator .for effecting a steady rotation of said shaft, and an electric escapement for preventing said regulator from moving too fast, consisting of an escapementwheel mounted on said shaft, an anchor therefor, two electromagnets one on each side of said anchor, and means for energizing said magnets alternately at regular intervals of time, substantially as described.

6. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial B, of a shaft C carrying a hand C', a drum D on said shaft, a cord and weight attached to said drum, a cylinder F filled with liquid, a piston in the cylinder connected with the drum, a toothed Wheel G on the shaft, an anchor G cooperating with said Wheel, and one or more electromagnets for vibrating said anchor, substantially as described.

7. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial B, of a shaft C carrying a hand C', a drum D on said shaft, a cord CZ attached to the drum, a cylinder F iilled with liquid, a piston f therein having ports f and piston-rod E, a Weight E on said rod, an escapement-wheel G on said shaft C, an anchor G' cooperating with said wheel, two electromagnets II, I'I for actuating said anchor, and a circuit-closer adapted to make and break the circuits of said electromagnets alternately, substantially as described.

8. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a power-driven indicating device, of a hydraulic speed-regulator therefor, an electric escapement controlling sai d regulator, and a steadying device to prevent irregular movements of the hand when the escapement interferes with the operation of the speedregulator, substantially as described.

9. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a power-driven indicating device, of a hydraulic speed-regulator therefor, an electricescapementcontrolling said regulator, a drum rotating with the registering device, a band wound on said drum, a small cylinder filled with liquid, and a perforated plunger in said cylinder attached to said band, substantially as described.

lO. In a race-timing device, the combination with a power-driven indicating device, of an electric escapement therefor, and hydraulic speed regulating and steadying devices, each composed of a cylinder filled with liquid, a perforated plunger in each cylinder, bands attached to said plungers and wound in opposite directions on a rotating shaft of the mechanism, and check valves in said plungers, opening respectively in opposite directions, substantially as described.

Il. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a power-driven indicating device, of a hydraulic speed-regulator therefor, an electric escapement controllingsaid regulator, consisting of an escapement-wheel,an anchor, carrying an armature, and two electromagnets, one on each side of said armature, a standard clock, a circuit make-and-break wheel driven thereby, and two brushes bearing on said wheel and respectively in circuit with the two electromagnets and with a battery, each magnet and its brush being in a separate circuit and the wheel being arranged to close said circuits alternately and only one at a time substantially as described.

l2. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a power-driven indicating device, of an electric escapement therefor, a standard clock controlling the circuits of said escapement, and an electromagnet, which when energized prevents said clock from running, substantially as described.

13. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial, of a shaft, a hand thereon,

IOO

IIO

mechanism for driving the shaft, a notched Wheel on said shaft, a detent adapted to engage with the notches, an electromagnet having its armature attached to the detent, and a spring engaging with the detent to throw it into engagement with the wheel when the circuit of the electromagnet is broken, substantially as described.

14. In a race-timing apparatus, the combination with a dial, of a shaft, a main hand thereon, two disks loosely mounted on the shaft, a sleeve connecting said disks, a helical spring surrounding the shaft inside the sleeve and attached to the sleeve and the shaft, an auxiliary hand attached to one of said disks, a brake-wheel attached to the other disk, a spring-actuated brake-shoe adapted to act upon said wheel, and an electromagnet to hold the brake released, substantially as described.

15. The combination with an electricallycontrolled race-timing apparatus, of electriccircuit breakers arranged at given points along the course,consi sting of an upright tube, a plunger in said tube, a circuit-closing contact carried by said plunger, and a compressible tube connected with the lower end of the upright tube and lying on the surface of the track and transverse to its course, said tubes being lled with liquid, substantially as described.

16. An electric-circuit breaker, consisting of an upright tube U, a rubber tube V connected with the lowerend thereof, a plungerrod W in the tube U, a plunger w on the lower end of said rod, a metallic bridge won its upper end, and two metallic terminal plates Y on which said bridge rests, the tubes being filled with liquid, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN IRVING MCDONALD. lVitnesses:

HENRY- CORBETT, F. FANNING. 

